Cambridge English: Legal

Exam overview

What's in the exam?

Paper	Content	Marks (% of total)	Purpose
Reading (1 hour 15 minutes)	6 parts/54 questions	25%	Shows you can deal confidently with a wide variety of law-related texts.
Writing (1 hour 15 minutes)	2 parts Part 1: letter (120–180 words) Part 2: memorandum (200–250 words)	25%	Requires you to be able to write a letter in response to a letter that is provided, and a report covering specific points.
Listening (40 minutes)	4 parts/30 questions	25%	Requires you to be able to follow and understand a range of spoken materials including interviews, discussions, telephone conversations and messages.
Speaking (16 minutes)	4 parts	25%	Tests your ability to communicate effectively in face-to-face situations in a legal context.

Advance your international career in law

Cambridge English: Legal is based on realistic tasks of the kind you would expect to encounter in your daily working life. Studying for Cambridge English: Legal will help you improve your language skills and use them in a wide range of legal contexts.

Real-life language skills for the legal world

Cambridge English: Legal gives an in-depth assessment of your ability to operate in a legal context at levels B2 and C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) – the internationally accepted system for describing language ability.

Preparing for Cambridge English: Legal gives you the skills:

• to use English in practical situations
• to participate in meetings and discussions of a legal nature
• to express opinions clearly
• to understand and to produce texts of various types, including legal correspondence and memoranda
• prove your commitment to professional development.

Relevant

Cambridge English: Legal covers all four language skills: Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking. Each test is based on realistic texts, tasks and topics similar to those you would expect to encounter when working as a lawyer.

Reliable

Backed by the largest research programme of its kind, Cambridge English exams provide the most reliable reflection of your language skills.

Fair

Cambridge English exams cover all major varieties of English and are designed to be fair to users of all nationalities and linguistic backgrounds.

A Cambridge English qualification

Once you have earned a Cambridge English certificate, you hold one of the most valuable English qualifications in the world.

Exam format

Visit the Cambridge English: Legal website for detailed exam information.

Cambridge English: Legal preparation resources

Visit the Cambridge English: Legal website for detailed exam information.

Exam dates

Exam dates for 2012

Note: Not all centres offer the exam on all dates below.
Please contact your centre to find out what dates they offer.

The Speaking paper is held by separate arrangement within a specified period or ‘window’.
Please contact your centre for more details.

January (paper-based exams)
Saturday 21 January (morning)	Test of Reading Test of Writing Test of Listening
13 January–23 January	Window for Paper 3 (Speaking)

February (paper-based exams)
Wednesday 22 February (morning)	Test of Reading Test of Writing Test of Listening
17 February–27 February	Window for Paper 3 (Speaking)

March (paper-based exams)
Saturday 17 March (morning)	Test of Reading Test of Writing Test of Listening
09 March–19 March	Window for Paper 3 (Speaking)

April (paper-based exams)
Wednesday 03 April (morning)	Test of Reading Test of Writing Test of Listening
30 March–09 April	Window for Paper 3 (Speaking)

May (paper-based exams)
Saturday 12 May (morning)	Test of Reading Test of Writing Test of Listening
04 May–14 May	Window for Paper 3 (Speaking)

June (paper-based exams)
Friday 08 June (morning)	Test of Reading Test of Writing Test of Listening
01 June–11 June	Window for Paper 3 (Speaking)

July (paper-based exams)
Saturday 07 July (morning)	Test of Reading Test of Writing Test of Listening
29 June–09 July	Window for Paper 3 (Speaking)

August (paper-based exams)
Saturday 11 August (morning)	Test of Reading Test of Writing Test of Listening
03 August–13 August	Window for Paper 3 (Speaking)

September (paper-based exams)
Saturday 15 September (morning)	Test of Reading Test of Writing Test of Listening
07 September–17 September	Window for Paper 3 (Speaking)

October (paper-based exams)
Wednesday 17 October (morning)	Test of Reading Test of Writing Test of Listening
12 October–22 October	Window for Paper 3 (Speaking)

November (paper-based exams)
Saturday 17 November (morning)	Test of Reading Test of Writing Test of Listening
09 November–19 November	Window for Paper 3 (Speaking)

December (paper-based exams)
Friday 07 December (morning)	Test of Reading Test of Writing Test of Listening
30 November–10 December	Window for Paper 3 (Speaking)

 

View a summary of all exam dates for 2012 | 2013 (PDF).

 

Results

Your results

Cambridge English: Legal gives detailed, meaningful results. All candidates receive a Statement of Results. Candidates who achieve Level B2 or above will also receive a certificate.

Statement of Results

This document outlines:

• Your result. This result is based on your total score in all papers.
  
• A graphical display of your performance in each paper (shown against the scale Exceptional – Good – Borderline – Weak).
• A standardised score out of 100 which allows you to see exactly how you performed. It has set values for each grade, allowing comparison across sessions of the exam.

Find out more at Understanding your Statement of Results – Cambridge English: Legal

You can access your results through the Cambridge ESOL Results Online website. Results Online access details are provided by exam centres.

Your certificate

If you achieve Level B2 or above you will receive a certificate. This will show one of three grades:

• C1 Pass with Merit – this indicates good achievement at Level C1
• C1 Pass – this covers the range of ability from a borderline pass to good achievement at Level C1 of the CEFR
• B2 Pass – this indicates that your ability is within Level B2 of the CEFR.

Results Verification Service

If you need to allow employers, universities or other organisations to verify your examination results, just send them your Candidate ID and Candidate Secret Number (printed on your Confirmation of Entry) and they can check your results quickly and securely online at http://verification.CambridgeESOLonline.org.

Further information on results

• Results enquiries and appeals
• Malpractice
• Lost certificates